Feeder and band-cutter for thrashing-machines



(No Model.) l 2 sheets-sheet 1.

0. CLEAVELAND. FEEDER AND BAND GUTTER PON TNRASHING MACHINES.

Il IN N nu gllllllluw ma i (No Model.) 2 Sheets-#Sheet 2.

0. CLEAVBLAND.

EEEDEE AND BAND GUTTER EOE TEEASEING MACHINES.

110.464,062. Patented Dee. 1, 1891.

i NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO OLEAVELAND, OF MIDDLESEX, NEW YORK.

FEEDER AND BAND-CUTTER FOR THRASHING-NIACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,062, dated December 1, 1891. Application ined January 24,1891'. serial No. 378,953. (No model.)

To all whom iv' may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORLANDO OLEAVELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middlesex, in the county of Yates and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Feeder and Band-Cutter for Thrashing- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feeders and bandcutters for thrashing-machines and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction and eficient in operation and which may be used with equal advantage for feeding loose grain when desired.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved band-cutter and feeder, showing the same arranged in position for operation., Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a side elevation taken from the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view ot' the band-cutter, showing one of the cutting-teeth detached from the band-cutting disk and the means for securing the same. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of the spreading mechanism. Fig. 7 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the endless carrier constituting the feeder. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail View taken on the line 8 8 in Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the feed-board of a thrashingmachine to which my invention has been applied for operation, showing the adjustable gage-board swung ont over the carrier and in dotted lines as swung back at the edge of the same. 2 designates the cylinder, and 3 the concave, all of which are constructed and arranged in the usual well-known manner.

4 designates a frame which is hinged to the front end of the feed-chute by means of a Shaft 5, carrying a roller 6. A roller 7 is mounted upon a shaft 8 at the free outer or front end of the frame 4. A roller 9 is also v laterally-extending flanges 17 at right angles to the said teeth or prongs. The front edge of the concave 3 is provided with recesses 18 for the passage of the former, so that there is no spaceleft between the carrier and the concave, and the teeth deliver the grain immediately to the thrashing mechanism.

IVhen the endless carrier is in operation, the flan ges 17, bearing against the bottom board 19 of the frame 4 and the feed-board 1,

will cause the prongs 16 to project upwardly or outwardly at right angles to the upper surface of the endless carrier. As the prongs 16 pass in contact with the concave they will be folded down against the adjacent slat 12 and be again raised to operative position by the action of the flange 17 when the latter passes over the roller 7.

The hinged frame 4 may be sustained inv operative position by means of suitable legs or props 20. Vhen not in use, the said hinged frame maybe folded down under the feed board or chute 1, and the endless carrier may likewise be folded and suitablyseeured'for transportation. x

The sides of the feed-chute of the thrashing-machine are provided with flangesl, to which are hinged the side pieces of a frame or yoke 22, which is provided near its free end with bearings for a transverse shaft 23. The latter carries the band-cutter, which is composed of a disk 24, securely. mounted upon said shaft and provided at its periphery with a series of dovetailed or wedgeshaped recesses 25, the side walls of which are V-shaped, as shown at 26. In the said recesses are mounted the insertible andy detachable cutters 27, the sides of which have V-shaped recesses 2S to engage the V-shaped edges of the side walls of the recesses 25. The cutters are mounted securely in the latter by means of wedges 29, driven under their lower edges in recesses 30, provided for the reception of said wedges. It will be observed that by this construction the individual teeth or cutters maybe readily detached for the purpose of sharpening or repairing the same or in order to substitute new ones when necessary. y

Pivotally mounted upon the shaft 23 is a frame 3l, which is provided with bearings for a pair of shafts 32, which are arranged at an angle to the shaft 23 and one on each side of the bandcutting disk. The inner ends of the shafts 32 are provided with beveled pinions' 33, meshing with similar pinions 3l upon the shaft 23, from which motion is thus transmitted to the shafts 32. The latter are previded upon the ends which project beyond the pivoted fram-e 3l with wings or beaters 35,.whieh extend radially from the said shafts. The said wings or beaters are wider at their outer than at their inner ends, so that in operation they will tend to spread the material passing under them and at the same time to throw it in a forward direction, thus tending to check thepassage of the grain at the sides of the endless carrier.

Suitably secured to the pivoted framel 3l are knives or critters 3G, adapted to engage the outer edges of the revolving beaters, thus cutting off any portion of the straw which may adhere to the latter and preventing the straw from winding thereon and interfering with the successful operation of the machine.

The side pieces of the frame 22 areconnected by an arched cross-piece or brace 37 in which is mounted an adjusting-screw 38, the

\ lower end of which is suitablyconnected with the pivoted frame 3l, and the upper end of which has a thumb-nut 39, which may be readily manipulated so as to raise or lower the free end of the frame 3l, as may be desired, and thus accommodate the machine to the size of the bundle of grain.

The frame et, which is hinged at the front end of the feed-chute, is provided withlaterally-extending anges 40, each of which is provided with bearings al for aV pair of vertical crankarms L12. Said crank-shafts, however, are only used atene side of the machine for the purpose of supporting the gage-board 43, which latter is provided with severalsuitably-arranged staples dat to engage the upper ends of the crank-arms, thus enabling the said gage-board to be adjusted near the eenter or near the edge of the endless carrier, as may be desired, by simply adjusting the crank-arms upon which it is mounted. The said crank-arms may be readily exchanged from 011e side of the, machine to the other, thus enabling the machine to be fed on either side.

45 designates a curved feed-board adapted to extend over the edge of the endless carrier. Said feed-board is provided with downwardlyextending pins or dowels i6, adapted to en` gage the bearings 4l in the flange opposite to the one which temporarily supports the crankarms carrying the gage-board 43. This feedboard serves to guide the grain onto the endless carrier directly in the path of the rotary cutter.

rlhe shaft of the cylinder is provided with a pulley 4:7, connected by a band 48 with a pulley if) upon the shaft 23, to which motion is thus transmitted. rlhe opposite end ofthe cylinder-shaft has a pulley 50, connected by a band 51 with a large pulley 52, mounted upon a stub-axle 5o on one side of the feed-chute. The pulley "2 has attached to it a smaller pulley 54, which is` connected by a twisted band 55 with a pulley 56 uponI the shaft l0, the rollers 9 of which support the lower end of the endless carrier, to-which motion is thus transmitted. It will be seen that the pulleys 53 54 simply perform the oiiice of acone-pul ley for the purpose of increasing the speed and transmitting motion from the cylindershaft to the endless carrier.

The operation and` advantages of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed; Y Then grain in bundles is to be fed, the gage-board is adjusted nea-r thelongitudinal center of the endless carrier, solthat the bundles which are fed over the curved feed-board shall beguided direct under the rotary cutter. The latter serves tosever the band, and the endlesslcarrier, carrying the grain toward the cylinder, brings it under the revolving spreaders or beaters, which act to spread or throw the grain toward the sides of the carrier, and at the same time to check the feed of the grain at the sides, causing the grain to be fed most rapidly and efficiently at the center, which is anA important object to be attained in this classl of devices, which always aim to imitate the feeding by hand as nearly as may be done, The knives or cutters 36, serving to chop'oif any straw which may adhere to the beaters, prevent the latter from being obstructed. The pivoted frame in which the revolving beaters are mounted maybe readily adj usted to slow or rapid feeding, as may be desired. When loose grain is to be fed, the hinged frame carrying the band-cutter and the revolving beaters may be swung in an up ward direction, so as to be out of tliewvay, and the gage-board is then preferably adjusted nearer the edge of Athe endless carrier, so that the grain which is`- deposited uponthe latter shall be distributed over the entire surface. It is obvious that the gage-board and the curved guide-board may be readily exchanged from one side of the machine to the other, thus enabling the machine to be fed from either side.

IOO

I have in the foregoing described what I consider to be the preferred construction of my invention. At times, however, it may be found desirable to depart from this construction in its minor details, and I therefore reserve the right to any such changes and modifications as may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

The peculiar shape of the spreaders serves to spread the bundle sidevvise and hold back a portion of the same, While the under p0rtion of the bundle passes through the cylinder, thereby spreading the bundle length- Wise and sidewise.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the concave provided With recesses in its front edge, the feed-chute, the frame hinged to the latter by means of a shaft carryingr a guide-roller, the rollers mounted upon shafts at the outer end of said hinged frame and at the lower end of the feed-chute, and the endless carrier mounted upon said rollers and having transverse shafts provided with outwardly-extending prongs adapted to engage With recesses and with anges extending at an angle to said prongs, the latter being normally extended outward from the endless carrier, While the flanges are folded under the slats adjacent to and in front of said rock-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth;

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the feed-chute and the hinged frame having bottom boards, the guide-roller upon the shaft, connecting said .hinged frame with the feed-chute, the rollers mounted upon shafts at the lower end of the latter and at the outer end of the hinged frame, the concave provided with recesses in its front edge, and the endless carrier having transverse rock-shafts provided with outwardly-extending prongs and with laterally extending ianges, all arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the endless carrier, a hinged frame having a transverse shaft carrying a disk provided with teeth or band-cutters, and a frame mounted pivotally upon said cuttershaft and carrying the revoluble beaters or spreaders, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with the endless carrier, of the hinged frame having longitudinally-arranged revoluble shafts having beaters or spreaders, and suitable operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination, with the endless carrier, of the pivoted frame mounted upon a shaft journaled transversely in a frame hinged to the feed-chute, the longitudinal shafts mounted in said pivoted frame and carrying the beat-l ers or spreaders, and suitable operatin g mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. In a machine of the class described, the

combination, with the revoluble beaters or spreaders, of the knives or cutters arranged adjacent to the edges of said spreaders to prevent straw from Winding upon the latter, and the band-cutting knife mounted upon a transverse shaft at right angles to the spreader-shafts and connected With the latter by miter-gearing, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a machine of the class described, the pivoted frame having shafts carrying the approximately triangular-shaped feeders or spreaders, in combin ation with knives or cutters attached to said frame and adapted to engage the edges of the said spreaders, substantiall y as and for the purpose set forth.

8. Ina machine of the class described, the combination of the endless carrier, the feedchute, the frame hinged to the same and having a transverse shaft carrying the band-cutter, .a frame mounted pivotally upony said shaft and having revoluble shafts carrying the beaters or spreaders and geared to the shaftcarrying the band-cutter, and an adj usting-screw mounted in a cross-piece upon the hinged frame and suitably connected With the said pivoted frame, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the endless carrier, removable crank-arms jou rnaled at the edge of said endless carrier, and a gage-board having a series of staples arranged in an outer and inner pair, by means of which said board may be mounted removably and adj ustably upon the upper ends of said crank-shafts and may be swung out over the center' of the carrier by the ends of said arms engaging the outer pair of the staples or swung in and located at the edge of the carrier by the said arms engaging the inner pair of staples, substantially as set forth. l

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination, With the endless carrier and the side ange having a series of bearings, of the curved feed-board projecting over one edge of said carrier and in the direction of the longitudinal center of the latter and provided along its bottom edge With a series of down- Wardly-extending pins or dowels that are adapted to engage said bearings and detachably connect the feed-board with said iiange, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ll. In a machine of the class described, the combination of the feed-chute, the frame hinged to the latter, the endless carrier, a hinged frame carrying atransverse shaft provided With a bandcutting disk, a frame mounted pivotally and adj ustably upon said transverse shaft and having longitudinallyarrangedshafts carryingthe beaters orspreaders, the knives or critters attached to said pivoted frame and adapted to engage the IOO IIO

edges of said spreaders, the adjustable crankshnfts mounted near the edge of the endless carrier, the gage-board having a series of staples adapted to be mounted adj ustahiy upon said crank-shafts, and the curved feed-boardl or guide-board mounted detnehabiy at the opposite edge of the endless carrier, substnntiaiiy 21s and for the purpose herein set forth- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in 1o A 

